Combination article of furniture



Aug. 18, 1953 Filed Feb. 8, 1951 N. GOODRICH COMBINATION ARTICLE OF FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet l llllllll llll Aug. 18, 1953 N. GOODRICH COMBINATION ARTICLE OF FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb- 8, 1951 INVENTOR. jVa-Zkazz Hoodrz'ch.

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Aug. 18, 1953 N. GOODRICH COMBINATION ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Feb. 8, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. [Va Zfiazz ooazr'irfi I BY Z mMTJW A TTURA/EY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 2,649,343 QQMBI A IQN MiL' IG TU I Nathan-Goodrich, Brooklyn N. L Appli at n Februa y S' HI'N 2 29 159:

This: invention relates to acomjbination artiole of furniture intheform of a,- bookcase and fbldingtabl'e; or-the-like:

In apartments and othersma'll living quarters, it is desirable to conserve spacetherefore the use of alarge dining room table, spare chairs and a book case in a 'sn all room would take up considerablespace; and unduly crowd the room, thus impairing" the artistic room furnishin s and comfort ofthe occupants of the room; It is therefore the priina ty obiect of this'invention to pr d a le at iel'e' f ur tu which a e. normally folded into e. relatively small compa Qt' unit to ev as @bQQKQEL-fifi a ode s e .0

pa rtm'ent for spare ffoljdir g chairs, household utensils, table linen; etc hut' which may be unfolded i hou disturbin th con ent the bookcase-to provide either a; single or double size ab e n a tab e or dinin pu po s, desk rposes or'the playing of card gamesisvneeded.

Another feature of the inventiqn resides in a f i bi at on ar ic of furni which includes two; separate au ticulateci sections, nor-. ly ar n ed n eqmne t eck wha k relationto: conserve space but. which sections may be, swung to various angular positions and bentranse osiacomhf t qn bee ese-endeldine ticularly pointed out in the appended claims and are illustrated inthe accompanying" drawings, inwhiche Figure 1 is-a front elevational viewoftheconh 'bination article of furniture in folded position and nested within thefireplace ofan imitation mantlepiece;

Figure 2 is a perspective View ofthe combinew tion article-offurniture per se in=folded=positionz Figure 3 is an end elevationa lview;

Figure 4e is; a vertical transversesectionaiview;

Figure 5 is'a top plan view: showing-the-bookcase section and storage section'in' anextended position againstewall} in i ull lines, and in backto-bacle relation in" dotted lines;

Figure 6 is a, fragmentary elevationa-i view of one of the table tops in folded position Withi parts broken away.

Fig-ure 7 is a; front elevational view'of one of" the table tops insetup position;

Figure 8 isasideelevationai view of oneof the table tops; in set uppos'ition.

Figure 9} is a; detail ve tical sectional view through the latch mechanism for securing the tabletopinfoldedposition.

Figure 10 is a; topplan vitwoi' the tabletop" f o tu section .i xt nded-1 position;

u e 1 ts nnlen ew sho n t e ooket' up:

case section against a; Wall andthe' other sec'-' tion swung to a position at right. angle thereto with its tabletop inraisegipos-ition;

Figure 12 "is' top plan vi w of the" two sections in V-shaped relation vvithfth'e table topsin'ra'ised position,

Referring-to the drawings by reference'ehar acters, the'letter A" designetescmy combination. article of'furniture in its entirety which broadly.

includes a' rectangular shaped bookcase section B and a similar shened mnlementer sto a e section C. The bookcase-section Bf includes a;

rectangular fretme' embodying a; fiat horizontal bottom in; upstanding'endwa'lls I IL and lila, n'd.a,'v flat horizont'a'ltQp Wall-13'. A vertical partition.

Wall 14: divides the bookcase section B into'r'eleve yj na row e q i ne 'tmen I 5 i and wider book mp rtment 6', vthe la te be provided" with horizontal' shelves l on, which rowsfofbooks m y h s p rted ,ancifd p The storugesection C is.- ofept d the eme n lu ei wall 18, vertical" upstandin' and a flat horizontal top Win21]; A vertical par, tition 21 divides the fremestructure of the sac- 7 the same size and? shape as the; bookcase'section'B, but" of'le'ssj." ehorizonte bottom g, sidewalls was tion C into a front storage compartment 22 and a rear compartment 23. The front storage conipartment 22 is normally closed by a pair of swinging doors 24-24 mounted on hinged pivots 25 whereby access to the interior of the storage compartment 22 may be had by the outward swinging of the doors 24.

Hinged to the bookcase section B at the rear lower edge of the top wall I3 as at 25, is a table top 21 which is of a width approximating the width of the bookcase section and of a length to extend from the plane of the underside of the top wall 13 to the plane of the underside of the bottom wall i9 when the table top 27 is in folded position as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

Hinged at 28 to the lower rear edge of the top wall 29 of the storage section C is a table top 29 similar in size and shape to the table top 21, and

the outer free corners of the table tops 21 and V 29 are beveled as at 30 for a purpose to be presently explained.

The sections A and B are swingably connected at one of their adjacent sides by means of pivoted links 3! arranged adjacent the top and bottom of the said sections as clearly shown in Figure 2. When the sections A and B are arranged in back to back, or front to front relation, the links 3| are fully countersunk in slots 32 provided in the end walls H and E9 of the respective sections. Beveled corners 39 of the table tops 2'! and 29 facilitate the countersinking of the links 3| to avoid interference of the table top with the movement of the lower link.

Fixed to the rear of the partition wall i4 is a U-shap ed bracket 32' having spaced ears 33 which are embraced by ears 34 of a tongue member 35, the ears of the tongue member and bracket being pivotally connected by a hinge pin 35, and carried by the hinge pin is a helical spring 37, one end of the spring abutting the bracket 32 and the other end bearing against the inner side of the tongue 35. The tongue 35 constantly bears against a wear plate 38 fixed to the undersideof the table top 21. It will thus be seen that the pivoted tongue 35 is under the infiuence of the spring 31 which tends to urge the table top 21 outwardly and upwardly to an unfolded position, but suitable releasable latch means is. provided for securing the table top 2': in the folded'position shown in Figures 2 3, 4 and of the drawing. v I

A table top lifting mechanism similar to that just described is also provided for'imparting an automatic lifting of the table top 29, to an open position, and it'is not believed necessary to repeat the construction, other than to state that the bra'ck'et'32 of the spring actuated lifting mechanism forrthe table top29 is fixed to the front of the partition wall 2! of the sectionC.

Releasable latch mechanisms are associated with the two sections B and C for holding the table tops 27 and 29 in folded position against the action of the spring actuated tabletop lifting mechanisms and it is believed that a description of cheer the releasable latch mechanisms will suffice for the other. In View of the fact that in Figures '7 and 8, the table top 27 of the bookcase section B is shown in raised position and these views clearly illustrate, the releasable latch mechanism and folding leg mechanism, these mechanisms as applied to this section B will be specifically described, but these same mechanisms are used in association with the table top 29 of the storage section B. Fixed to the partition-i4 is a bracket 33' to which one end of a releasable latch member 34' is pivoted as at 35', the said latch member being provided with a hook portion 35, the nose of the hook being rounded. Engageable with the hook portion 33' is a hook shaped keeper member 3? fixed to the underside of the table top 21. An expansion spring 38 acts upon the latch member 33 to hold the hook shaped portion 36 in engagement with the keeper 3?, the rounded nose of the hook portion 39 permitting the latch member to be forced to a position to enable the fixed keeper member 31' to become engaged therewith. The

latch member 34 is provided with a tail piece own weight when the table top is in raised position. For the purpose of actuating the latch device 34' to effect its disengagement with the keeper 31', there is provided an actuating lever 42 pivoted intermediate its ends as at 43, one end of the lever extending through a slot 44 in the side walls [2 of the section B whereas the opposite end of the lever extends into the compartment I5 and has one end of a contractile spring 45 connected thereto, the other end of the spring fixed at an adjacent corner of the compartment. The inner end of the lever 42 is adapted to engage the pedal 49 due to the normal angle at which the pedal '40 is disposed, whereby depression of the pedal will cause it to press.

against the tail end 39 of the latch member 34 and move the hook portion 36' out of the path of the keeper 3?, whereupon the spring actuated table top lifting device will swing the table top to raised position. After each actuation ofthe lever 42, the same returns to the position shown in Figure '7 and the spring 38 returns the latch member 94' to a position where it may again be engaged by the keeper 3? when the table top is swung to lowered position.

Fixed to the underside of the table tops 21 and 29 are folding legs and the legs of the two table tops being identical, a description of the legs connected to the table top 21 of the section B will sufiice.

'Fixed at opposite sides to the underside of the'table'top 21 are brackets 46, each bracket having end ears 4! which receive outwardly ex-"' tending pintles 48 carried by the terminal ends of V-shaped tubular leg members 49. Pivoted at'50 to the outermost branches of the V-shaped leg members 49 are one end of links 5|, the other end ofrthe links having pins 52 which are slid-v able in slots 53 provided in bracket 54 fixed to the underside of the table top 21. The outer ends of the slots 53 are provided with downwardly extending offset portions 55 into which the pins 52 seat when the leg members 49 are in fully opened position. The leg members 49 are nor-.' mally folded one within the other as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 6, but as the table top is swung upwardly, the leg members drop to their unfolded position and eventually assume a vertical position as shown in Figure '7 and are held against folding by the seating of the pins 52'en-' tering the offset notches 55.

For the purpose of preventing swinging of th 7 sections B and Crelative to each other when latch 56 being provided with notches 58 and 59.

in opposite edges for individual engagement with a. headed pin .61) extending outwardly from the side Wall l2 of the section B. When the sections B and C are in back to back relation as shown in Figure 3, the notch 58 isren ageable with the pin 60 but when the sections 13. and C are swun to a position wherein their normal fronts face each other as shown in'Figure of the drawing, the notch 59 of the latch is engaged with, the pin 60.

When the two sections B and C are arranged in back to. back relation as illustrated in Figures 2, 3, and 4, of the drawings, a removable filler strip BI is inserted between the spaced inner sides of the top walls l3 and 20, said filler strip resting upon the inner ends. of. he down folded table tops 2'! and 2.9,

Assume that thecombination arti le f furniture. A is in. the. folded position, S Qwn in'Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and that it is desired to transform the same into a double dining room table as illustrated in Figure 10. The combination article of furniture A is normally positioned with the section C against the wall or within a fireplace opening G of a combination mantlepiece and fireplace H as illustrated in Figure 1. To transform the article of furniture into a table, the article A is pulled outwardly into a, room, the latch 56 is swung open, the filler piece 6| removed and the sections B and C are then swung relative to each other by means of link connections 3! and when swung entirely around, the sections are reversed relative to each other in order that the table top sides of the sections are disposed outwardly. The latch actuating levers 42 are depressed, thus releasing the table tops 21 and 29, whereupon the spring actuated tongues swing the table top sections to a raised horizontal position coextensive with the fiat horizontal top walls [3 and 20 of the sections B and C. As the table tops 21 and 29 move upwardly, the pivoted leg members 49 drop downwardly and eventually become locked by engagement of the pins 52 in the offset notches 55 at the outer ends of the brackets 54. When the two table tops 21 and 29 are fully raised, the combination article assumes the position shown in Figure 1 0, whereupon a full size dining room table is available for use.

The storage compartment 22 is adapted to receive folded chairs which may be removed from the compartment by opening of the doors 24, and the said chairs used for persons who are to be seated about the table. I

To facilitate ease in swinging the sections B and C relative to each other, the bottoms of the same are provided with dome shaped feet 62 or with casters or other equivalent devices which will facilitate the easy sliding of the article of furniture over a floor or carpet.

When it is desired to fold down the table top sections, the pins 52 are lifted out of the notches 55, whereupon the legs are free to swing to a position flat against the underside of the table top, and the tops are then lowered against the tension of the spring actuated tongues 35 and the table tops eventually secured in a folded position by reason of the engagement of the keeper members 31' with the releasable latches 34'.

By reference to Figures 11 and 12 of the drawing, it will be noted that the combination article of furniture may be arranged in other forms than fully collapsed as shown in Figure 2, and fully opened for use as a dining room table as shown in Figure 10. In Figure 11 the bookcase section B may be: placed against the wall and the sec-J tion v,C swung out to a position at-right angle to the bookcase section-with the table top 29 of the section C raised to provide a single table and which may remain in this position to provide a permanent table for the furnishing of a room. In Fi ure 12, the sections B and C are swung outw rdly into a substantial V-formation with the table tops .21 and 29 unfolded to their raised Position, thus providing two separate tables about which persons may sit. for the playing of card games Also, by reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that the two sections B and C maybe swung to a position to face a wall and the table tops 27' and 29 may be swung to a raised open position for use as a desk or for individual table purposes.

Havin described. my invention, what I believe to be-new is:

1. A combination article of furniture comprising a pair of complementary sections, each having a top, a bottom and sides, with open front and back, and a transverse vertical partition therein between said front and back, a table top hinged at the back of each section and normally folded flat against said back each section having a space behind said partition adjacent its back then closed by said table top, said sections being normally arranged in back to back relation, link means swingably connecting said sections together at one side permitting said sections to be swung to front to front relation to facilitate the raising of the table tops, folding legs carried by said table tops for supporting the same in raised position when said sections are opened and disposed in said spaces when said tops are folded against said sections, and releasable latch means for securing said sections in closed back to back relation.

2. A combination article of furniture comprising a pair of complementary sections arranged in normal back to back relation, each having a top. a bottom and sides, with open front and back, and a transverse vertical partition therein between said front and back, link means connecting said sections together at one end permitting the swinging of the same from a normal back to back relation to a front to front relation, table top sections hinged at the tops of the backs of said sec tions below the plane of the top thereof and normally folded flat thereagainst to face each other when said sections are in normal back to back relation, each section having a space behind said partition adjacent its back then closed by said table top, legs movably joined to the table tops for supporting said table tops when the table tops are set up and disposed in said spaces when the table tops are folded down against the sections, and a removable filler piece resting on the inner ends of said table top sections when folded to fill the space between the tops of said sections.

3. A folding article of furniture comprising in combination, a pair of furniture sections, each having a top, a bottom and sides, with open front and back, and a transverse vertical partition therein between said front and back, a table top hinged to be folded against the back of each furniture section at the top thereof, each section having a space behind said partition adjacent its back then closed by said table top, said sections being normally disposed in back to back relation, link means swingably connecting said sections together at one side and permitting said sections to be swung relative to each other to a reverse position in front to front relation to enable the table tops to be raised to table forming position, and means ipivot'ally connected to said table tops forsupporting the respective table tops in raisedposition when swung thereto, said means being; disposed in said spaces when said table tops are folded against said sections.

7 4. A combination article of furniture comprising. apair of complementary sections normally arranged in back to back relation to form a bookcase or like article of furniture, each section havingaltop, bottom and sides, with open front and backfand a transverse vertical partition therein between said fronttand back; link means connectingsaid sections together at one end permitting the swinging of said sections to a reverse front to front'relation, latch means for locking said sectionsin back to back relation, and table top extension leaves hinged to the respective sections at the backs thereof and normally folded fiat thereagainst, each section having a space be- 8 hind said partition adjacent its back then closed by said table top, said table top extensions adapt ed to be swung to a horizontal position when said sections are in frcnt'to front relation wherebyi to form a table, and means pivotally connected to said leaves for supporting the sections in horizontal table forming position, and disposed in said spaces when said leaves are folded against the sections. v

NATHAN GOODRICH.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Grasso Oct. 4, 1949 

